hopkinson



(No Model.)

WATER GAGE.

No. 589,259. Patented Aug. 31',1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. `l

JOSEPH HOPKINSON AND JOHN LO'VIS, OF HUDDERSFIELD, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TOJ. HOPKINSON & CO., LIMITED, OF SAME PLACE.

WATER-GAGE."

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 589,259, dated August31, 1897'. Applicatioirled December 19, 1896- YSerial No. 616,304. (Nomodel.)

T0 a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it'known that we, JOSEPH HoPKINsoN, of J. Hopkinson da Co., Limited,engineers, and JOHN LOWIs, works manager, subjects of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at IIuddersiield, in the county of York, England, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Water-Gages, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings.

Ourinvention relates to improvements in water-gages of that class whichhave ball or other valves in the steam and water arms for preventing theescape of steam and water when the glass bursts, and which have asupplementary or back tube forming a communication between the saidsteam and water arms, as described in the specification of prior patent,No. 481,493. v

The particular objects of our invention are to provide for greaterefficiency in the working of such gages not only when the glass tubebursts, but at other times-such, for instance, as when the cocks areoperated for the purpose of blowing through the thoroughfares when thegage-glass is intact, or when a new glass has been inserted and thecocksl are operated so as to put the gage in'work Under these or anyother conditions, when the gage-glass is intact and the cocks in thesteam and Water arms are opened,'a full thoroughfare between thegage-glass and the boiler is insured, and therefore there is anabsolutely accurate indication of the water in the boiler shown in thegage-glass.

In gages of this class hitherto constructed to accomplish these objects,we have employed, for instance, a by-pass in the steam-arm ofthe'gage or other auxiliary devices. In our present invention wedispense with these special provisions and devices and construct a gageembodying the safety features set forth, at the same time free from theobjections hitherto existing, and also absolutely certain and reliablein action, and efficient for its purpose.

Our improvements are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich-- Figure l shows, in vertical section, the construction andarrangement of the parts of our improved water-gage. Fig. 2 is avertical section on the line as Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectionon the line y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 isa vertical section illustrating amodification inthe construction of the said Watergage.

Like letters indicate out the, drawings.

A is the steam-arm; B, the water-arm; C, the glass tube, and D the backtube.

According to our invention instead of the automatic or ball valve Ebeing placed in a chamber B2 immediately below the glass, as heretofore,we construct the lower or water arm B of the gage with a'space orchamber B belowr the back tube D and the ball-valve E is placed therein.This chamber is in cornm unication with the boiler by the passage BX,with the top or steam arm by the back tube D, and with the space orchamber B2 immediately under the gage-glass by the passage B3, whichforms the seat for the valve to shut off the lescape of water when thegage-glass bursts. This chamber is also in communication with thetry-tap B4.

The ball-valve E is placed in the aforesaid chamber, supported on a restor floor E', and the upper surface of the ball is 4preferably below thelevel of the passage BX, and at the top of the back tube, on a seat orsupport, we place the ball-valve lGr, and by the peculiar combinationand arrangement of the automatic ball-valves E and G with the chambersand thoroughfares we secure advantages which are the objects of ourinvention and at the same time simplify the construction of the gage andrender it more durable than heretofore.

It will be seen that when the gage-glass C bursts the pressure in thetop and bottom arms A and B forces the balls E and G to their respectiveseats, as shown in dotted lines, and therefore shuts off the escape ofboth Water and steam. After the cocks F and F in these arms are closedfor the purpose of inserting a new glass, and when the try-tap B4isopened, the contents of the top and bottom arms A and B are run awaythrough the aforesaid tap. The arms are then empty and free frompressure, the balls fall from their seats, and the. proper condition ofthe gage is restored ready for the cocks being opened between the thesame parts through- IOO boiler and the gage-glass. When in thiscondition, if the cockF in the lower arm is opened the pressure is soadmitted to the gage-glass that there is no preponderating pressure inthe back tube suhcient to force the ball G in the top arm to its seat Aor retain it there, and a true water-level is indicated in thegageglass. Further, if the cock of the top arm is first opened while thegage is in the beforenamed condition the pressure is so admitted to thegage-glass Athat the balls do not close the passages between the glassand the boiler, but will allow the free iiow of steam and water. It willbe seen that the chamber B', which contains the ball-valve E, has fourpassages or apertures, as hereinbefore set forth, and that the try-tapB4 is connected with the gageglass through the aperture B3, so thatunder all circumstances a free and uninterrupted flow can be obtainedthrough the steam and water arms, respectively, by opening the trycockB4.

Our present invention eifectually avoids the liability of indicating afalse water-level, which might -occur with the parts constructed asshown in the patent referred to. By the relative positions of the cock,the ball, and

the back tube described in the present appli-` cation the action isrendered more certain and reliable. For instance, if the cock in thebottom arm of the patented construction is opened rst while the thegage-glass is intact, both balls are liable to be blown to their seats,thus closing the thoroughfare between the boiler and the gage-glass,whichwould likely result in indicating a false water-level. In thepatent referred to a by-pass or supplemental thoroughfare ofcomparatively small area or capacity is employed, and if this by passbecomes choked the true indication of the water-level may not beindicated.

In the present invention the ball in the waback tube, so that when thecock in the wa- Y ter-arm is opened the action of the current is suchthat the ball is not blown to its seat B3 and the communication betweenthe gageglass and the boiler is never interrupted.

Vhat we claim isl. In a safety water-gage the combination of steam andWaterarms connected by a gageglass C and a tube D, a try-cock connectedto the water-arm, a chamber B below the tube D, a ball-valve in saidchamber, and thoroughfares forming communications between said chamberand the boiler, the tube D-,the gage-glass, and the try-cock,substantially as described.

2. In a safety water-gage the .combination of a .steam-arm A andwater-arm B conneeted by a gage-glass C and a tube D, a try-cock B4connected to the water-arm, a chamber B in the water-arm below the tubeD said cham ber communicating with the boiler, the tube D, thegage-glass C `and the try-cock B, a ball E in the chamber B adapted toclose the passage B3 leading to the gage-glass, the top of said ballwhenvresting on the door of the chamber being below the level of thepassage BX leading to the boiler, and a ball Gin the steam-arm adaptedto close the passage A leading to the gage-glass, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 17th day ofNovember, 1896.

J OSEPI-I HOPKINSON. 'JOI-IN LOWIS. Witnesses:

FRED SWIFT, GEORGE HELM.

